As an aircraft ages, it becomes necessary to perform non-destructive testing on various exterior surfaces of the aircraft. This is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirement that ensures continued airworthiness. Presently, this is a labor intensive process that requires a mechanic to traverse the specified section of the aircraft with a hand held ultra sonic device. Minor fluctuations in pressure on the device or slippage can cause inaccurate readings that require a second scan. It will be appreciated that similar problems arise in testing of other structures.
Examples of automated non-destructive testing have been demonstrated. However, they are restrictive in that a frame or other form of external reference is needed to identify the location of the fasteners for the sensors.
What is needed is a system and method that addressees the above, and related, issues.